Work in Progress
Come Morning Light
Sunlight started to shine in Monique’s eyes, and she immediately tried to pull her comforter over her eyes. It was then that she realized that she was not in her bed to grab her favorite blanket. Startled, she looked around and realized that she was cuddled up next to Evgeni Malkin. She did not plan to spend the night at the party. She wanted to go home for the night.
There was nothing she could do now, though. She looked around some more and saw all the familiar faces from the rink and last night’s party. She tried not to laugh too loud when she saw that Jordan’s head was on top of James’ foot. She saw that the TV was still lit, so she just assumed that they all fell asleep during the movie marathon that continued after Caddy Shack was over.
No one else was moving, and she did not want to wake Geno, so she decided to stay still for a little while. Hockey players were used to waking up early, right?
* * *
Monique was apparently wrong. She continued to hear snoring for the next hour. She concluded that the boys really took advantage of the few days that they got off from practice. Eventually, Monique heard some shuffling, and she looked up to find that Vero was awake. Vero smiled at Monique so Monique smiled back. It was a bit awkward for a minute, but then Vero decided to get up, and motion for Monique to join her in Jordan’s kitchen.
Vero started talking to Monique in her French-Canadian accent, “So I bet Jordan has nothing good to eat in here.”
Monique nodded and agreed before Vero decided to speak again.
“You’re pretty shy, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I don’t even know why I came to this little shindig last night.”
“Relax. You had fun, right? And besides, Geno seems into you, so just have fun and go with it.”
“Yeah, I guess I could do that. I just wish I hadn’t fallen asleep last night. I wanted to get some things done this morning and now I feel like I am never going to get to them.”
“I have days like that all the time. You get used to it eventually.”
Monique sighed, “I really want to leave, but I would feel bad if I left without telling Geno goodbye.”
“If you want to, just go. I can tell him.”
Monique knew not to trust another woman, even an engaged woman when words like these were exchanged. She smiled graciously, but declined the offer by saying that she would wait around until Geno woke up. She did not want anything to ruin what could happen. She did not even want Geno thinking that she was rude, and leaving without saying goodbye to someone was always rude in Monique’s world.
Monique and Vero finally heard some noise coming from Jordan’s living room, so they went in to check on the guys. James was awake and kicking Jordan in the face for falling asleep on his foot. Jordan started to yell, and that woke Geno. He looked dazed and confused, but when James bit Jordan’s foot, Geno started laughing hysterically. Vero and Monique laughed when they realized that Marc-Andre had slept through the whole thing and was still sleeping by the time Jordan stopped whining about the teeth marks in his feet.
When the laughter and whining stopped, Vero decided that she would take it upon herself to wake Marc-Andre. She really wanted to get home, and she knew that if he slept any longer that he would be cranky for the rest of the day. He finally woke, and they said their goodbyes to everyone.
“Vero!”
“Yes, Geno”
“Cake was good.”
Everyone started laughing again when they saw that Geno had one of her cakes in his lap and a fork in his hand. Apparently, sweets were for breakfast for the Russian. Vero and Marc-Andre said goodbye to the group again before heading for their car.
Geno now had frosting all over his lips, and the rest of the group started taunting him for not sharing the cake. When the teasing finally stopped and Jordan and James started picking up the pillows that they used, Monique decided that it was time to tell Geno that she had to go.
“Geno,” she asked.
“You want cake. I share with pretty girl.”
She smiled, “Thank you, but I don’t really like eating cake in the morning.”
“More for me!”
They both laughed before she sighed, knowing that she would have to say goodbye for the day, “Geno, I really have to get going, but it was really fun hanging out with you. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
Geno looked a bit sad by her words, but he took his cell phone from his pocket as he gave her instructions for putting her phone number in his contacts.
She laughed, “I think I can handle putting my number in your phone.”
“I see yours?”
Monique handed Geno her phone and he added his name to her contacts before looking at her face again.
“I’m going to get going now,” Monique said as they exchanged phones so they each had their own phones again.
“I walk you out,” Geno offered. He walked her out of the door and to her car before he looked at her again. “I really had good time. Can I see you again?”
Monique smiled. “I’d like that,” she said as she opened her driver’s side door. Geno held the door for her as she got into the car and told her goodbye once more before giving her a soft kiss. He quickly pulled away, smiled, and shut her door as she started the ignition.
There was nothing she could do now, though. She looked around some more and saw all the familiar faces from the rink and last night’s party. She tried not to laugh too loud when she saw that Jordan’s head was on top of James’ foot. She saw that the TV was still lit, so she just assumed that they all fell asleep during the movie marathon that continued after Caddy Shack was over.
No one else was moving, and she did not want to wake Geno, so she decided to stay still for a little while. Hockey players were used to waking up early, right?
* * *
Monique was apparently wrong. She continued to hear snoring for the next hour. She concluded that the boys really took advantage of the few days that they got off from practice. Eventually, Monique heard some shuffling, and she looked up to find that Vero was awake. Vero smiled at Monique so Monique smiled back. It was a bit awkward for a minute, but then Vero decided to get up, and motion for Monique to join her in Jordan’s kitchen.
Vero started talking to Monique in her French-Canadian accent, “So I bet Jordan has nothing good to eat in here.”
Monique nodded and agreed before Vero decided to speak again.
“You’re pretty shy, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I don’t even know why I came to this little shindig last night.”
“Relax. You had fun, right? And besides, Geno seems into you, so just have fun and go with it.”
“Yeah, I guess I could do that. I just wish I hadn’t fallen asleep last night. I wanted to get some things done this morning and now I feel like I am never going to get to them.”
“I have days like that all the time. You get used to it eventually.”
Monique sighed, “I really want to leave, but I would feel bad if I left without telling Geno goodbye.”
“If you want to, just go. I can tell him.”
Monique knew not to trust another woman, even an engaged woman when words like these were exchanged. She smiled graciously, but declined the offer by saying that she would wait around until Geno woke up. She did not want anything to ruin what could happen. She did not even want Geno thinking that she was rude, and leaving without saying goodbye to someone was always rude in Monique’s world.
Monique and Vero finally heard some noise coming from Jordan’s living room, so they went in to check on the guys. James was awake and kicking Jordan in the face for falling asleep on his foot. Jordan started to yell, and that woke Geno. He looked dazed and confused, but when James bit Jordan’s foot, Geno started laughing hysterically. Vero and Monique laughed when they realized that Marc-Andre had slept through the whole thing and was still sleeping by the time Jordan stopped whining about the teeth marks in his feet.
When the laughter and whining stopped, Vero decided that she would take it upon herself to wake Marc-Andre. She really wanted to get home, and she knew that if he slept any longer that he would be cranky for the rest of the day. He finally woke, and they said their goodbyes to everyone.
“Vero!”
“Yes, Geno”
“Cake was good.”
Everyone started laughing again when they saw that Geno had one of her cakes in his lap and a fork in his hand. Apparently, sweets were for breakfast for the Russian. Vero and Marc-Andre said goodbye to the group again before heading for their car.
Geno now had frosting all over his lips, and the rest of the group started taunting him for not sharing the cake. When the teasing finally stopped and Jordan and James started picking up the pillows that they used, Monique decided that it was time to tell Geno that she had to go.
“Geno,” she asked.
“You want cake. I share with pretty girl.”
She smiled, “Thank you, but I don’t really like eating cake in the morning.”
“More for me!”
They both laughed before she sighed, knowing that she would have to say goodbye for the day, “Geno, I really have to get going, but it was really fun hanging out with you. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
Geno looked a bit sad by her words, but he took his cell phone from his pocket as he gave her instructions for putting her phone number in his contacts.
She laughed, “I think I can handle putting my number in your phone.”
“I see yours?”
Monique handed Geno her phone and he added his name to her contacts before looking at her face again.
“I’m going to get going now,” Monique said as they exchanged phones so they each had their own phones again.
“I walk you out,” Geno offered. He walked her out of the door and to her car before he looked at her again. “I really had good time. Can I see you again?”
Monique smiled. “I’d like that,” she said as she opened her driver’s side door. Geno held the door for her as she got into the car and told her goodbye once more before giving her a soft kiss. He quickly pulled away, smiled, and shut her door as she started the ignition.